So it's been two months since my 23rd birthday trip to Honolulu, but the memory of my Hawaii celebration still stays with me as I continue to travel. At the beginning of the year, I made a promise to myself that I will be open to adventure, to live life unplanned, and to learn to love myself unconditionally. Although I did a long layover at Seattle, Hawaii was the first destination I really wanted to start my traveling adventures. Ever since I was a little girl, I had always wanted to visit Honolulu. The island culture charmed me as I looked through Hawaii travel books filled with palm trees, hula dancers, and cute Hawaiian surfers. Needless to say, it took me about 20 years to finally visit the Aloha state in person!

One thing I will mention about my trip- Hawaii is not as expensive as people suggest. Of course, there are a ton of high end hotels that costs you over $300 a night around the Waikiki area, but there are also plenty of cheap hostels, couchsurfing hosts, and AirBnb hosts that are within location as well. Buying food and meals are pretty affordable if you purchase at local cafes and vendors, and there are plenty of ABC convenient stores that have snacks, water/drinks, souvenirs, and travel products for tourists. Bus transportation is easy to navigate and costs around $2, and there are plenty of the sight-seeing places in Honolulu are either free or cheap. With every trip you plan, you can make it as affordable or as luxurious as you want. I ended up spending less than $500 for three days, four nights in Waikiki. At the end of the day, I still got to visit the same beaches, shopping centers, and nearby restaurants as the other tourists who have spent much more for their hotel accommodation. It's all about what you want in your travel adventures!

I have been getting questions about certain photography, so the photos on this particular post are all taken by me (with my rookie skills) from my Canon EOS Rebel T5 with a 18-55mm lens. Without further ado, I hope you enjoy! Until next time! XOXO - Ressa